Lawmakers Approve Child Care Bill

In the wee hours of Friday morning, the Colorado General Assembly gave final approval to a bill that will make child care more affordable and more accessible for thousands of low-wage working families.The Colorado Center on Law and Policy has been working with partner organizations since the summer to bring significant changes to the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, which culminated in the passage of HB-1317.HB-1317 provides a host of improvements to CCCAP. Most notably, it will lower the co-pay for parents, increase the income participants are allowed to earn so more families will be eligible, and allow parents who attend workforce training or college classes to receive child care assistance.The Colorado Center on Law and Policy says HB-1317 is a key part of a package of bills designed to make child care more accessible and more affordable for low-income Coloradans. The bill now heads to Governor John Hickenlooper’s desk.